


Episode 7 - The Great Mushroom

by RobertBruceScott



Category: Star Trek
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fal-tor-pan, First Contact, M/M, Multi, Mushrooms, Precognition, Science, Science Fiction, Space Battles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-07-29 18:34:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 16,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20086849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobertBruceScott/pseuds/RobertBruceScott
Summary: .Justice Irons is ordered to Pillo, a planet orbiting a brown dwarf star, to try a case involving precognition and intellectual property rights.The Nausicaan Collective decides to take over Pillo, presenting the U.S.S. Hunter with a space battle in which it is hopelessly outgunned...And one of the couples among the Hunter's crew decide to have a baby...





	1. Nightmares

**Star Trek Hunter **

With the threats from the Borg and the Dominion receding and the Romulan, Cardassian and Klingon empires each in shambles, the United Federation of Planets is the undisputed military and economic hegemon of the Alpha Quadrant.   
Scattered across more than a thousand worlds, the two-hundred-odd member species of the UFP - led by a burgeoning human population - are experiencing peace, prosperity, freedom and justice unprecedented in the history of any civilization… 

Until a doctoral dissertation by an obscure professor of Philosophy at Harvard University exposes a flaw at the heart of the Federation - and rocks the mighty UFP to its core.   
These are the stories of the U.S.S. Hunter - a Star Fleet patrol vessel - and its small crew of brilliant misfits who are charged with cleaning up this awful mess… 

Original story by Robert Bruce Scott

Episode 7 - The Great Mushroom

_“I grew up wanting to be a pilot and only started to live that dream after failing at law and making such a mess of my academic career that I very nearly got the entire university incinerated - I could fairly say all the ruckus over my work has given the word ‘philosopher’ a black eye.” Dr. Kenny Dolphin, Interview on Subspace Radio Ivonovic._

7.1  
Nightmares

Starlight was crying inconsolably. Anyone would cry if someone were cutting off the tips of her earlobes. “But we can’t have you looking like a vulcan, baby. No one can know that you’re vulcan,” Dolphin heard himself saying. But it wasn’t the pain that was making T’Lon cry. It was the wrenching terror of having her soul burned out by acid. Not the pain - the terror that death wasn’t real and that her soul would have to reside somewhere else, forever mute and powerless. Constrained to helplessly watch her soulless body go on without her. Just a machine, doing what others told it to do.  
“Not one ghost,” said T’Lok, her cold, dead eyes glowing through her closed eyelids, seaweed in her hair. “Not one ghost. Two ghosts. Why would you do that to me?” Somewhere in the distance, from deep underwater came the sound of piano music - a piano played by a madman - a genius - creating hair-raising sounds. Some ancient piece of music by Rimsky-Korsakov. Lt. Tauk coughed hard, again and again, blood dripping from his mouth and nose. The music shifted gradually to a slower, incredibly sad melody, played with a sensitivity that only a master could evoke from the instrument. Softly, quietly, it drowned out Starlight’s incessant, girlish coughing and howling. Kenny Dolphin held onto the sound of the piano desperately and let it slowly draw him out of the nightmare.

He was in his sleeping/escape pod. Many of his nightmares included waking up in this pod only to find it full of seawater, buried in some ancient tomb, or drifting into the corona of a star. Dolphin shook his head to try to clear the nightmare, but the piano kept playing. It seemed like several minutes before he gradually realized he was actually listening to the sound of a piano being played in the director’s lounge, just outside his pod. Played brilliantly. Dolphin had never really appreciated music, but this pianist’s brilliance would be evident to anyone. Such incredible control - not for its own sake - but to enable the instrument to speak directly to his soul. He had never heard anything like it - or if he had, he had never before noticed.

Dolphin found himself holding his breath as the last hum of the song faded into hushed silence. He donned his uniform before opening the pod. Lt. Tauk, Dr. Carrera and Investigator Buttons were talking. The holographic emitters were still projecting a white, baby grant piano that filled the open space in the lounge. Carrera had just joined Buttons on one of the couches. He stood up and called for Hunter to discontiue the piano as soon as Dolphin came out of his pod. 

“Lt. Dolphin - I’m so sorry,” Carrera said, “I didn’t know you were sleeping…”  
“Please don’t be,” Dolphin replied. “You woke me from a nightmare. I’ve never heard anything so beautiful.” He wandered over to the replicator and obtained a glass of water. He spared a moment to look at Tauk. The nightmares had started the first night after T’Lon’s Pon Farr had ended, but this was the first time they had included Tauk.  
Tauk had a concerned look on his face. “Same dream?”  
Dolphin was glad of Tauk’s promotion to 1st lieutenant. Tauk tended to work shift A and Dolphin typically worked shift B, but since Tauk had moved into the director’s lounge, the place felt far less empty. Dolphin wasn’t certain he could have taken the nightmares without the young ferengi’s presence.  
“You need to go to medical,” Tauk continued. “If not Dr. Tali Shae, then one of the other doctors.”  
“Nightmares?” asked Carrera.  
Dolphin wasn’t certain he wanted to talk about it, but he was glad that Carrera was there. Recently, Carrera and Buttons had spent more time in the director’s lounge as well.  
“They started right after that thing with T’Lon ended,” said Tauk.  
“T’Lon hasn’t been herself since then either,” Buttons observed.  
Carrera leaned back into Buttons’ arms and relaxed. Then sat up suddenly. “Nightmares about T’Lon?”  
“Always,” Dolphin replied. “Only sometimes she’s my daughter and sometimes it’s T’Lok, but it’s always T’Lon, She’s always crying. And screaming. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but it’s been non-stop.”  
“You don’t need to see a doctor,” Carrera said. “You need to see Tomos. You and T’Lon together. He isn’t a strong telepath, but he’s the best we’ve got.”  
“What do you suspect?” Buttons asked.  
Carrera pointed at Dolphin’s head. “I think he’s got a vulcan in there with him. If I’m right, they’re going to need to go to Mount Seleya on Vulcan. And soon.”  
At that moment the communication system brought Justice Irons’ voice into the room. “Senior staff meeting in 30 minutes. Executive conference room.”  
“Let’s get Tomos and T’Lon in here, now,” said Buttons.  
“Not here,” Tauk countered. “No time. Get them to the executive conference room.” He turned to Carrera. “You get Tomos - I’ll get T’Lon.”

7.1

Crew of the U.S.S. Hunter: (Ship's Interactive Holographic Avatar - Hunter)

At-Large Appellate Justice, Captain Minerva Irons  
Chief Executive Officer - Commander David Pepper  
Chief Operations Officer - Lt. Commander Mlady

Medical Director - Lt. Commander Tali Shae  
Asst. Medical Director - 2nd Lt. Jazz Sam Sinder  
Ensign Chrissiana Trei  
Forensic Specialist - Midshipman Sif  
Forensic Specialist - Midshipman Tolon Reeves  
Emergency Medical Hologram - Dr. Raj  
Tactical Medical Hologram - Dr. Kim

Director of Flight Operations - Lt. Kenneth Dolphin  
Asst. Flight Dir. - 2nd Lt. Gaia Gamor  
Navigator Johanna Imex  
Navigator Eli Strahl  
Ensign Ethan Phillips  
Chief Flight Specialist Dewayne Guth  
Flight Specialist Dih Terri  
Flight Specialist Joey Chin  
Flight Specialist Winnifreid Salazaar

Director of Ground Operations - Lt. Tauk  
Asst. Ground Ops Dir. - vacant  
Investigator Lynhart Shran  
Investigator Buttons N'gumbo  
Ensign T’Lon  
Tactical Specialist Jarrong  
Tactical Specialist Belo Rys  
Tactical Specialist Belo Garr  
Tactical Specialist Belo Cantys

Director of Engineering - Lt. Sarekson Carrera  
Asst. Engineering Dir. - 2nd Lt. Moon Sun Salek  
Midshipman Tammy Brazil  
Transporter Engineer K'rok  
Ensign Sun Ho Hui  
Flight Engineer Yolanda Thomas  
Flight Engineer Thomas Hobbs  
Flight Engineer Tomos  
Flight Engineer Kerry Gibbon


	2. Episode 7.2 - Case Assignment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
Justice Irons and the Hunter's crew travel to Pillo to hear the case of the People of Porte Abello vs. the People of Pillo.
> 
> But Kenny Dolphin and Ensign T'Lon are on a different journey...
> 
> _“I have been assigned a case involving precognition and intellectual property rights,” Justice Irons began._   
_“I don’t envy you that assignment,” Dr. Tali Shae interjected._   
_“Well, fortunately, I had no foreknowledge of this assignment,” Irons observed dryly... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
There are a number of puns throughout this episode, including the title of one of the chapters. Can't help it. Mushrooms are just funny.
> 
> BTW - Porte Abello is the only city on Pillo, so the people of Porte Abello and the people of Pillo are the same people...

7.2  
Case Assignment 

Justice Minerva Irons walked into the executive conference room only to find a number of people she had not invited - specifically Ensign T’Lon, Flight Engineer Tomos and 2nd Lt. Moon Sun Salek.   
The executive staff and department directors were there as well. Lt. Kenny Dolphin was still gaunt and haunted looking - as was T’Lon. Neither seemed to have improved since the end of T’Lon’s Pon Farr, but there was a new look of determination on Dolphin’s face. Irons could tell that her other department directors, particularly Tauk and Carrera, shared that look.

“I take it we have a new item on the agenda?” Irons observed.  
T’Lon was the first to respond - if somewhat mechanically. “It appears I am needed on Vulcan. I believe I have sufficient leave available.”  
Tomos spoke up. It was the first time he had been in this room and the first time Irons had heard the vulcan engineer’s voice since he joined the crew. “I confirmed it just a few minutes ago. Somehow T’Lon transferred her katra to Dr. Dolphin while they were mind-melded during Pon Farr. She might have been continually transferring herself since her symptoms were so extreme - her katra was being burned out of her. So she gave it to him for safe keeping.”  
Lt. Tauk chimed in. “That would explain the nightmares every night.”  
Irons, Tali Shae, Pep and Mlady all turned to look at the ferengi.  
“He’s been dreaming about T’Lon every night,” Tauk continued, then turned toward Dolphin. “Tell them.”  
Dolphin looked around the room, hesitated, then rolled his head back. He looked exhausted. “I thought it was just having gone through all this with her. I keep hearing her crying and screaming in my dreams. I thought it would go away, but it just keeps getting worse.”

T’Lon had no reaction.

Dr. Tali Shae was exasperated. “And if your arm snaps off do you wander around for two weeks thinking it’s just going to get better on its own?”  
Justice Irons clicked her fingernail loudly against the table. Her right wrist was finally free from its splint. “We have been ordered to Pillo. It would take weeks for the wagon to get to Vulcan from here at top warp. I assume that is why Lieutenant Moon is here?”  
“Weeks in the wagon, less than three days in the tactical unit using recursive warp,” said Dr. Carrera.  
“Which has yet to be tested,” Irons observed.  
“No time like the present,” Carrera responded. “Dr. Moon helped me design that unit. She knows the specifications better than anyone.”  
“I know that Lieutenant Moon is a qualified pilot,” Irons said, “but she hasn’t logged a lot of flight hours…”  
Dolphin spoke up. “I can still fly. T’Lon is also qualified on the tactical unit, so we won’t lack for pilots. We just need to make sure one of us is awake at all times.”  
Irons turned toward the junior officers. “Lieutenant Moon, Mr. Tomos - please ready the tactical unit. Ensign T’Lon, please prepare your squad for your absence and then assist with the tactical unit. Lieutenant Dolphin will join you following the senior staff meeting. Which begins now,” she said, turning her attention to her department directors.

\- * -

“You have to send us someone else. Justice Irons has already made up her mind. We know she will rule against us.” Pillo Planetary Administrator John Westinghall was adamant. After hours on the line with Star Fleet, he had finally managed to get Fleet Admiral Stewart on the line. He could already tell it was not working - he had already seen this skeptical expression and knew the moment the admiral appeared on the screen that this appeal was going nowhere.   
“Mr. Westinghall,” Admiral Miriam Stewart replied, “I understand your concern, but Star Fleet does not assign justices. Even though Captain Irons is a Star Fleet officer, she is coming to you under the authority of her civilian office. Captain Irons’ judicial assignments come from the Tribunal. You must appeal to them. Now I’m really very sorry, but I am required elsewhere, if there is nothing else…”  
Westinghall had to admit there was nothing else the admiral could do for him. He felt somewhat embarrassed he had wasted the time of the third highest officer in Star Fleet.

At that same moment, Sally Chesticut, the mayor of Porte Abello, Pillo’s capital (and only) city, had managed to get through to Tribunal Justice Cisl Mreek. And was having even less luck pleading her case. “But the justice has already made up her mind. I’ve seen it.”  
“I thought as much, Mayor,” snapped the irritated looking tellarite. Of course all tellarites tended to look and sound irritated, but in this case, the Tribunal Justice was clearly outraged. “This trial is all about using premonitions to cheat, and here you are trying to use premonitions to cheat!! You think you know the outcome, so you try to switch judges. You deserve what you get - I have no more time for you!”   
The screen instantly going blank as the Tribunal Justice cut the transmission off was a mercy after her short, but pointed tirade.

\- * -

“I have been assigned a case involving precognition and intellectual property rights,” Justice Irons began.  
“I don’t envy you that assignment,” Dr. Tali Shae interjected.  
“Well, fortunately, I had no foreknowledge of this assignment,” Irons observed dryly. “We are to go to Pillo, one of the Federation’s newer colonies, established about 20 years ago.”  
“I’ve had a look at the case-file,” said Pep. “We may be in orbit of Pillo for a year or two on this one.”  
“Years???” Tauk asked, eyes widening.  
Justice Irons rolled her eyes. “Pillo is one of our first colonies in a brown dwarf system. The planet’s orbital period is about eight days. Also, in case you are interested, the planet’s rotation is retrograde, meaning the orientation of east and west to north and south is inverted compared to what you are used to.”  
Dr. Carrera spoke up. “The Federation has long been interested in establishing colonies in brown dwarf systems. Pillo was chosen because the planet’s orbit is very stable and it has a rotation period that allows the entire planet to be warmed. Because it is getting its warmth from a brown dwarf, the planet is much closer to its star than “M” class planets orbiting white stars. Pillo was also chosen because the star appears to be exceptionally stable. If it turns out to be viable, this kind of colonization could open up thousands of new planets within Federation space for colonization.”  
“Which is why I want this colony explored thoroughly,” Irons rejoined. “David, please set up a crew rotation that will maximize crew interaction with the colonists and at the same time provide some recreation for our crew. I would like everyone to get some leisure time planetside and while there, get a sense for what the quality of life is and also find out if anything weird is going on. One strange thing we are aware of - many of Pillo’s residents report various levels of precognition. So have our people sensitized to that as well.”  
Mlady spoke up. “What do we do if we or other crew members begin experiencing premonitions?”  
“Remember your orientation on time-travel and treat it as such,” Irons replied. “Use your best judgement and avoid second-guessing yourself based on these premonitions. Take them at face-value and remember that while what you see may come to pass, the context may be completely different from your initial assumptions.”  
Irons turned toward her newly appointed director of ground operations. “Lieutenant Tauk, please share your thoughts about reorganizing your department.”  
Tauk coughed, took a drink, then started, “Based on her past performance, Ensign T’Lon has earned a promotion to 2nd lieutenant and she meets all the qualifications. But considering her current condition, I would like to hold off on that for now. Hopefully, her trip to Vulcan along with Director Dolphin will help her get back to normal. But in her current condition, I want to limit her exposure to making life and death decisions. Which means that I cannot have her commanding the tactical squad - they face life and death decisions continually on every mission. So I would like to put T’Lon in charge of the investigations unit. Buttons and Shran are pretty good at taking care of themselves and mentally, T’Lon is just as sharp as she has ever been.”  
Tauk took a drink, cleared his throat, then turned toward Dr. Tali Shae. “I have had my eye on one of your people - an ambitious officer who has just been licensed by the Tribunal to practice Federation law. I would like to promote Midshipman Tolon to Ensign, transfer him from Medical to Ground Ops and put him in charge of the tactical unit.”  
“You can have him,” Tali Shae responded. “He has volunteered a few shifts at the bridge tactical station and I would rather not have staff with divided loyalties.” There was a rare playfulness to her tone. “Actually, he is a fine officer and I’m glad you are thinking of him. He clearly wants to move up and from everything I can tell, he’s ready for it.”

Irons gave the ferengi a long, evaluating look, then said, “Approved.” She looked around the room. “Anything else?” She clicked a fingernail against the table slowly, three times. “We are adjourned.”

7.2


	3. Episode 7.3 - Night Life In Porte Abello

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
Newly promoted Ensign Tolon Reeves is breaking the ice with his tactical squad and sampling the night life in Porte Abello when a bar fight breaks out...
> 
> _ At that moment two nausicaans stood up, turning over the table they had been sitting at, throwing drinks, cards and chips across the floor and all over the three humans who had been sitting across from them. One of the nausicaans stepped easily over the overturned table, single-handedly lifted a fairly large man by his collar and threw him halfway across the room... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bar fights are always fun.

7.3  
Night Life in Porte Abello

The Hunter’s crew were out sampling the night life in Porte Abello. There was no other life on Pillo to sample. Even though their planet was not much further from its sun than the moon from the earth, no one on Pillo ever saw the sun. They lived under an unbroken canopy of mushrooms that drank the light of the brown dwarf star, broke it into thousands of different colors, and sent them - primary, pastel and fluorescent - in thin individually colored strands to the ground below, which was covered with another mossy version of mushroom that pulsed with ever changing arrays of colors that responded to people who walked over them, leaving a trail of brief brightly colored footprints within a vast pulsating carpet of color.  
There was no keeping either these brightly colored strands or the carpet out of any buildings - not that there were many. Bars, food courts, offices, residences were tucked into various spaces among the giant stalks of enormous mushrooms. Somehow between space and the layout of the mushrooms, these uses were able to coexist within a single, sprawling city of more than a quarter million humans, denobulans, andorians, bajorans, and many others - all of them bathed in the light of millions of tiny brightly colored glowing strands that left dark corners everywhere but conspired to provide a comfortable general illumination.

“Lots and lots and lo-o-ots of nausicaans,” observed Belo Garr, just a little loudly so his companions could hear him over the pounding music.   
“They have to spend their winnings somewhere,” Belo Rys half-shouted. “Apparently they really like that mushroom wine.”  
“They’re not the only ones,” Garr said. “But I’ve gotten a whiff of it. I think I’ll pass.”  
“That would be wise.” Ensign Tolon Reeves was new to the squad and was still working on developing his rapport with them. A few wrestling matches with Garr and Jarrong had helped break the ice - Tolon was dark-skinned, shorter, heavier and much older than his new charges. They had found quickly when wrestling him he was both tremendously strong and an expert wrestler. “We don’t know exactly what effects that wine might have. I examined some of it and there are a lot of chemical variations I simply haven’t seen before,” Tolon continued. Although, like the tactical squad members, Tolon was part bajoran, his sing-song accent betrayed his many decades in Bangalore, India.  
“Maybe that wine is the reason for everyone around here getting spooky visions,” Jarrong opined, having to speak even more loudly as the music seemed to be in a mood to compete with a roaring warp engine.  
Tolon looked at her. “Well, we have no reports of the nausicaans getting premonitions - either they are immune to these effects or they are being uncharacteristically secretive about it.”  
“I’d count that as a blessing,” said Garr. “Pirates with premonitions - I’d prefer not.”  
“Most nausicaans are not pirates and the vast majority of pirates are human,” said Ensign Tolon, managing to make himself heard over the music while speaking quietly. “Let’s avoid painting with an insufficiently detailed brush.”  
That statement earned him four confused looks.  
“You four are..” Tolon Reeves started, then he started over, “well, let me put it this way.. I rely on you to notice the fine details. If a fight gets started the last thing I want you to do is jump to the wrong conclusions because a nausicaan is involved. You need to get these things right before they happen. Open mind, open eyes.” He emphasized the last statement by widening his eyes, which drew a quick laugh.

At that moment two nausicaans stood up, turning over the table they had been sitting at, throwing drinks, cards and chips across the floor and all over the three humans who had been sitting across from them. One of the nausicaans stepped easily over the overturned table, single-handedly lifted a fairly large man by his collar and threw him halfway across the room.

“And sometimes things are exactly as they appear,” Tolon concluded.   
“Should we intervene?” Belo Cantys asked.   
“We’re guests in this bar… I’m sure there is a local… oh crap…” Tolon did not have to explain his last exclamation - his squad quickly noticed what he had noticed. There was only one thing in this bar larger than the nausicaans. He had been sitting nearby, but most people seemed to have mistaken him for a half-wall or perhaps a refrigerator.  
Pep rose from his chair, walked up behind the nausicaans and said, “Hello boys, why don’t you pick on someone your own size?”  
The nausicaans were both clearly in the mood for a fight and both sized up their new opponent appreciatively. They were almost as tall as the 7-foot giant, but the two of them together were probably only slightly larger than him.  
Then Pep started to dance - an odd combination of boxing moves with something like belly dancing. And he was good. And probably a little drunk. His enormous body bent, ducked, slided, shuffled, bobbed and weaved with unexpected grace, evading his opponent’s attempts to strike or grapple him.   
Somehow it worked. The nausicaans - who were evidently a little drunk themselves - threw punch after punch, boxing the giant in from both sides and managed to not land a single blow - although they did manage to slam their fists into each the others’ at one point.  
It was a good thing no weapons were allowed in the bar - nausicaans were fond of swords and were quite skilled with them.  
After a few minutes, Pep said, “Aw fellows,” his enormous fists came up with surprising speed and accuracy to deliver a right jab to one and a left jab to the other of his opponents at almost the same moment, causing both to topple to the floor. One was unconscious, the other semi-conscious - moving but not getting up right away. “And I was hoping for a challenge… No hard feelings fellows. Thanks for the dance!”

Tolon Reeves was smiling. “Our commander just became welcome in every nausicaan home and camp on this planet.”  
“By clobbering two of them?” asked Jarrong.  
“Oh yes. And he’ll probably have to fight every single one of them, now. There are few things nausicaans like better than a good fight,” Tolon responded.   
“Note he did not say a fair fight…” Garr observed.

7.3


	4. Episode 7.4 - Trying Their Patents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
Justice Irons is trying the case of the People of Porte Abello vs. the People of Pillo - a case about precognition and intellectual property rights. And it is absurd. Even the courtroom is absurd - all the furniture and the room itself are made from living mushroom...
> 
> _Mayor Sally Chesticut, whose mayoral duties included adjudicating disputes, started tentatively to raise her hand. Her lawyer, without looking at her, caught her wrist and gently but firmly guided her hand back down to the plaintiff’s mushroom. She turned to look at her lawyer, who, without turning to look at her, shook his head very slowly._  
.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
This was a fun chapter to write both because of the bizarre courtroom and the bizarre nature of the case itself.

7.4  
Trying Their Patents

Justice Minerva Irons was getting tired of dreaming about the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and other characters from Alice in Wonderland. She had no idea why - she had never read the book or even a review. But after all these centuries, the characters were still iconic and omnipresent, even if she had no idea what they stood for. It made a sort of rough sense: she was dreaming about the hookah-smoking caterpillar while sleeping on a soft bed of mushrooms in the midst of a vast forest of gigantic mushrooms. It was still annoying.

But the relentless hatter and omnipresent caterpillar were nowhere near as annoying as this case she had been sent to try. It was made even worse because the two primary litigants - Planetary Administrator John Westinghall and Mayor Sally Chesticut - both acted as though they had already lost the case. Both sides were completely failing to put on a case. Given the unbelievably poor performance of the litigants on both sides, the abysmal state of the case notes and the complete lack of precedent, Irons had to admit she was no wiser about this case than when she arrived. Neither of the litigants seemed to want to talk to her or even to try the case at all.   
Mysteries like this were why Irons had an investigative team. Tauk, Buttons and Shran had found some very interesting communications that shed light on the mood of the litigants. At the same time, Dr. Carrera had weighed in on the technical evidence - and his opinion was devastating to both sides of this case.

“All right.” Justice Irons called the court to session on the second morning of this trial with a squawk. The squawk came from the bizarre gavel she had been given that was connected by a flexible tube to the judicial bench, which, like all of the other furniture in this courtroom appeared to have been sculpted from living mushrooms. Apparently the inhabitants of Pillo had developed a method for shaping the ever-present mushrooms to their needs and this courtroom, one of the oldest public spaces in Porte Abello, was entirely furnished, decorated and lighted by the local flora.  
The room wasn’t even a room - it was a space defined by walls of giant living mushroom stalks, lit from below by a glowing carpet of mushrooms and from high above by the ever-present glowing strands that were bundled in great numbers, creating a glowing ceiling of many different colored lights. The room could only be entered from the open public area toward the back of the room or the judge’s chamber behind the bench by pushing aside more bundles of these brightly colored glowing strands. It was an impressive accomplishment.  
As impressive as this room was, Justice Irons felt more than a little silly opening court by striking a mushroom with a squawking mushroom while sitting on a mushroom, which action permitted everyone else in the room to sit on other mushrooms while the court reporter sat on a mushroom behind a mushroom to the side of the plaintiff and defendants and their lawyers, sitting on mushrooms behind their own separate mushrooms.

“Administrator Westinghall,” Irons started, addressing the defendant, “I understand you put in a call to Fleet Admiral Miriam Stewart to try to have me reassigned.” She turned her attention toward the plaintiff’s mushroom, “And Mayor Chesticut, did you speak to Tribunal Justice Mreek in a similar attempt to have me replaced by another appellate justice?”  
Before either the defendant or the plaintiff could respond, lawyers for both objected: “Your honor, on behalf of the plaintiff I have to object to this line of questioning due to personal bias…” “I also object…”  
“I’ll be the judge of that, overruled” Irons snapped.  
“But your honor…” Planetary Administrator John Westinghall started, then thought better as Irons’ face immediately reflected her infamous judicial fury - made even more terrifying by her amazing beauty. In her role as a justice, Irons had been compared to an avenging angel and at this moment she very much looked the part.  
“Administrator, how many judges do you see in this room??!!”  
Mayor Sally Chesticut, whose mayoral duties included adjudicating disputes, started tentatively to raise her hand. Her lawyer, without looking at her, caught her wrist and gently but firmly guided her hand back down to the plaintiff’s mushroom. She turned to look at her lawyer, who, without turning to look at her, shook his head very slowly.  
“My apologies, your honor, only you,” Westinghall wisely replied.  
Irons leaned back into her mushroom and closed her eyes. “So tell me, precisely and in great detail, what led you to believe that I would rule against you?”  
“I saw you reprimanding…” Westinghall started.  
At the same moment, Sally Chesticut said, “I saw my team discussing how we could…”  
The defendant and plaintiff both stopped and looked at each other in considerable confusion.  
Irons sat up and smiled grimly. “You didn’t know that both of you thought you were going to lose this case. Well, if my ruling makes you both unhappy, then it must be one of the better rulings of my judicial career. Not that I have a clue at the moment what that ruling will be. And, let me emphasize this, and neither do either of you. But perhaps we will all have a better idea once Dr. Carrera provides his expert opinion about the patents this case is based on.”

Federation civil law allowed justices at the appellate level and higher to supplement testimony from the defense and the plaintiff with additional expert witnesses if, in the judges’ opinion, a salient point of the evidence had not been addressed by either the witnesses for the plaintiff or the defense - a feature of vulcan jurisprudence that had been adopted into the tribunal charter.

Dr. Carrera sat down on a mushroom and spread a number of electronic readers on the witness mushroom that he was seated behind. “As you know, the issue of this case is the validity of the patents filed on behalf of the people of Pillo by the planetary government as directed by Planetary Administrator Westinghall. These patents are based on inventions that have not yet been invented, but that various residents have had premonitions about using, helping to manufacture or even helping to draft or invent. More than 300 such patents have been granted, some relating to items that will, allegedly, be invented by future residents of Pillo, some of whom have yet to emigrate to this planet and others who may not yet have been born.”  
“While all of the testimony in this trial has been about whether such premonitions fall under the time-travel laws or whether these represent a new area of law and whether these patents may be unfair to the future inventors and might even prevent some of them from emigrating to Pillo,” Carrera continued, “no one has argued the validity of the patents themselves.”  
Dr. Carrera lifted one of the readers, turned it toward the room and held his finger on a scan button, causing the readout to flicker through thousands of pages faster than the human eye could follow. “I have reviewed each and every one of 354 patent applications based on these premonitions.” He dropped the reader onto the mushroom for emphasis. “They’re all garbage. Each and every one of them. Not a single one of these patents describes a machine that I could possibly build from the schematics provided. While several describe some manufacturing technique or some function of the item, I could not take a single one of these patents and build a functioning device without inventing more than half of the device myself.”  
One of Westinghall’s lawyers stood up, evidently not impressed by a young witness who looked even younger than his 23 years, “For the record, could you explain your level of expertise with patents?”  
Justice Irons leaned forward in amusement. “Dr. Carrera, please respond in detail. This is not a time to be humble…”  
Carrera looked at Irons, gave her a quick wink, then turned back to respond. “Ten years ago I earned a doctorate in mathematics from the Daystrom Institute. Since then I have been presented honorary doctorates by the Daystrom Institute, the Vulcan Science Academy, Juliard University and the Vulcan Academy for the Arts in Warp Field Engineering, Structural Engineering, Nuclear Chemistry, Astro Physics, Mathematics, Advanced Warp Theory, Starship Design, Ethics and Personal Development of Sentient Holograms, Music specializing in Piano Performance and Vulcan Music Theory. On behalf of the Daystrom Institute, I have personally filed 662 patents related to hologram behavioral development, warp engine design, warp field design and starship design, most of them related to the development of Star Fleet’s first fully artificially intelligent manned space vessel, for which I served as one of the lead designers and on which I now serve as the Director of Engineering. I hold the rank of 1st Lieutenant in Star Fleet and have been authorized by the Federation Tribunal to practice Federation law with a specialty in engineering.”  
Westinghall’s lawyer seemed to wilt during this recitation. He managed, “Thank you, Dr. Carrera. I suppose now I know why everyone refers to you as ‘Doctor Carrera’.”

Justice Irons smiled again, finally relaxed. “Do we have any final arguments?”  
The lawyers at both mushrooms consulted briefly with their clients. Administrator Westinghall’s lawyer stood up again. “The defense rests, your honor.”  
Mayor Chesticut’s lawyer also stood. “Your honor, the plaintiff also rests.”  
Irons was not surprised. If there had been any fight left on either side, it was long gone by now. “I need some time to consider my ruling,” she said, then lifted the mushroom. “Court is in recess until tomorrow morning.” She struck the mushroom with the mushroom, ending the session with a now appropriate sounding squawk.

7.4


	5. Episode 7.5 - Temple on Mt. Seleya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
Kenny Dolphin and T'Lon undergo the excruciating ritual of fal-tor-pan to disentangle their katras.
> 
> _In all of that discussion, they had somehow failed to get across how astoundingly unpleasant this process would be. Dolphin felt as if someone had run his brain through a cheese grater, balled it up, squeezed it and ran the remains through a sieve..._  
.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
Borrowed from the Search for Spock... But with a new twist. When I started writing this story, I did not envision the relationship between Dolphin and T'Lon becoming a central theme. But here it is, going in a very interesting new direction.  
.

7.5  
Temple on Mt. Seleya

Kenny Dolphin lay on a bed in a room in the back of the temple on Mt. Seleya, putting his mind back together for what seemed the twentieth time. Several very old and very dignified vulcans had warned both him and T’Lon very solemnly and at great length and detail that the fal-tor-pan - the ancient ritual that might possibly, if it were there, remove T’Lon’s katra from Dolphin’s head and, even more remotely possibly, reinstall this unidentified and very loosely defined essence back into T’Lon from whence, some very ancient vulcans had argued very long ago, it might have originated - would be very dangerous to both of them.  
In all of that discussion, they had somehow failed to get across how astoundingly unpleasant this process would be. Dolphin felt as if someone had run his brain through a cheese grater, balled it up, squeezed it and ran the remains through a sieve. He could tell something had been removed and hoped that they had taken the appropriate bits out and put the correct bits back in. Evidently it was up to him to knit what they had stuffed back into his head back into some sort of coherent whole.  
He sat up, drank some water that clearly had far too few other chemicals in it and looked for some sort of pills that might help numb the pounding headache. Apparently vulcan priests were not long on providing pills or much of anything else for their victims.

Then T’Lon walked into the room and suddenly everything was better. There was something about her eyes - she was back.   
Dolphin leapt to his feet and almost tackle-hugged her.

“I do not require holding,” T’Lon said.  
Dolphin released her in some embarrassment and stepped back.  
“Lay down on your side,” she said.  
Without a word, Dolphin laid down on the bed, facing her.  
“Other side,” T’Lon said.  
Dolphin rolled over. T’Lon laid down behind him, drew herself close and wrapped an arm around him.  
“I thought you said you don’t require holding,” he said.  
“The same is not true for you.”  
Dolphin teared up a little and was glad he was facing away from her. For quite some time they simply lay there. T’Lon was not in contact him telepathically - which was a relief. Over the past month far too many other people had been inside his head - only a few hours ago there had been at least a half dozen vulcans in there and Dolphin was very happy to have his head to himself for a while.

After several minutes of silence, T’Lon said, “I have two sets of memories,”  
Dolphin just listened.  
“I said I thought I should feel grateful to you. I remember saying that. And I remember seeing me say that through your eyes. And I wanted to make myself say that I do feel grateful to you. You saved my life. At least twice.” She laid her face against his back.  
She could hear the catch in his breathing. And felt him move slightly, just a little uncomfortably.  
“I know how you feel about me, Kenny Dolphin. Conflicted. You loved being with me.”  
Dolphin responded quietly, “yes…more than anything in my life…”  
“But you kept conflating me with your daughter.”  
“Yeah, that was uncomfortable. I couldn’t help it. Didn’t know why. It wasn’t just age.. Especially toward the end..” Dolphin said.  
“I am not your daughter, Kenny Dolphin. And I am no longer your lover.” T’Lon felt Dolphin relax, tension slowly leaving his body. “But I will always be your friend.”  
Dolphin took a slow breath. “Yeah, I never really figured out that whole… male… female… friend… bonding… platonic… sort of thing…” He was clearly exhausted, stumbling over and slurring his words. For the first time in more than a month, since his first night on Ocean, Kenny Dolphin fell into a deep, peaceful and desperately needed sleep.  
T’Lon pressed her face against Dolphin’s back, holding him as he slept. “You will,” she said quietly.

7.5


	6. Episode 7.6 - One Mushroom To Rule Them All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
Lt. Cmdr. Mlady, in her role as ship's biologist, studies the local flora and makes an astonishing discovery...
> 
> _“These people eat mushrooms, drink mushroom sap, sleep on mushrooms, breathe mushrooms, make their furniture and homes out of mushrooms and see by the light of bioluminescent mushrooms,” Tali Shae said. She reached up to scratch her head and one of her antennae slapped her hand. She quickly withdrew her hand from her head, only to scratch her arms._   
_Dr. Sif was laying on her belly, studying the bioluminescent carpet of mushroom in close detail. She looked up at Dr. Tali Shae. “Have you tried the mushroom shower?”_  
_“There is no way I am stepping into a carnivorous mushroom...”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
I like to put some science into my science fiction...

7.6  
One Mushroom to Rule Them All

Mlady had collected thousands of samples. Instead of bringing these up to the Hunter, she created a lab in the area on Pillo that served as her quarters - an area almost the size of the entire deck her quarters on the Hunter were located on. Since the Hunter did not have a life sciences department, the medical department stepped in to fill that role at need.  
Dr. Tali Shae and Dr. Sif were assisting with Mlady’s research on the ground, observing the behavior and diet of the local population, taking samples and wielding tricorders. Dr. Chrissiana Trei remained onboard the Hunter to process information being continually uploaded by the ground team.

“These people eat mushrooms, drink mushroom sap, sleep on mushrooms, breathe mushrooms, make their furniture and homes out of mushrooms and see by the light of bioluminescent mushrooms,” Tali Shae said. She reached up to scratch her head and one of her antennae slapped her hand. She quickly withdrew her hand from her head, only to scratch her arms.   
Dr. Sif was laying on her belly, studying the bioluminescent carpet of mushroom in close detail. She looked up at Dr. Tali Shae. “Have you tried the mushroom shower?”  
“There is no way I am stepping into a carnivorous mushroom,” Tali Shae responded.  
Sif rejoined, “Well, I was itching like that and they suggested I try it. There are spores in the air and they collect on your skin. It is a little on the intimate side, but when you step into the pod, the tendrils brush your skin, removing the spores and start to exfoliate you. As long as you’re not in there for more than 20 minutes, you’ll be okay. They even use the tendrils from the pod to clean their teeth. You just open your mouth while you’re in there and the tendrils will go after your teeth. It feels weird while you’re in there, but it feels really, really clean afterward. Just be sure to keep your eyes closed until you get out.”  
“How did they figure out that use?” Tali Shae asked. “Seriously, did some bright person say ‘Oh, look - that mushroom resembles a pod from a Venus Flytrap. I think I’ll go stand inside it and see what happens..’”  
Dr. Sif didn’t look up. She was still lying on her belly, kicking and twining her feet in the air behind her as she continued her careful study of the bioluminescent carpet. Her spots were smaller than average for a trill, giving her something of a freckled look, which along with her reddish hair tied into pigtails made her appear rather girlish. “Someone stumbled into it,” she said, lightly.   
“But how did they stumble into it?” Dr. Tali Shae sounded just a little exasperated.  
“Well, as it was explained to me, it went something like: ‘oops, I tripped. Oops, I’m falling… Hey, this mushroom thing just closed around me, I’m trapped…’ Then after a few minutes he figured out where to tickle it to get it to open and noticed when he got out that he was clean.” Sif accompanied her explanation with a demonstration by using the fingers of one hand to walk along the glowing carpet and the other hand to act like the enclosing mushroom pod.  
“These mushrooms are just way too convenient,” Tali Shae groused. “There are enough varieties to provide all the nutritional needs for the various bipeds, bioluminescence, providing sufficient radiation to safely meet their nutritional needs, the veins that bring water up to the top can be tapped and provide safe hydration. They provide a breathable atmosphere of oxygen, maintain a constant temperature at this clime of about 26 degrees Celsius, and can be manipulated to form rooms with reasonable privacy or large open public spaces. Not to mention furniture - mushroom beds, mushroom desks, mushroom tables, mushroom chairs - even cabinets. And they had all of this potential before colonization. But they developed it in the absence of native fauna. The only animals here are what the colonists brought with them.”  
“Incorrect,” said Mlady.  
“You mean there is local fauna?” Tali Shae asked.  
“No, you were correct about that,” Mlady responded. “You were incorrect using the plural. I need to travel around this planet and take some samples from other areas to be certain, but I strongly suspect the planet does not have mushrooms.”  
Tali Shae boggled at her, her antennae describing small circles. “Okay, you’re the exobiologist here, but I think I just heard you say you don’t think there are any mushrooms here,” Tali Shae emphasized her point by tapping her foot on the mushroom carpet, rapping her knuckles on one of the giant mushroom stalks that served as part of the wall for this room.  
Mlady turned a level gaze on the doctor. “That is not what I said. I said I strongly suspect this planet does not have mushrooms. To be more specific, and I will need to travel around and obtain more samples to confirm this, I believe this planet has one mushroom. The floor you are standing on, the wall you just touched, the bed over there, your lunch - all genetically identical. Not the same species - the same individual. One mushroom.”  
Dr. Sif was still laying on her belly, still twining and kicking her feet in the air behind her. In a sing-song voice, she intoned, “One mushroom to feed them all. One mushroom to find them. One mushroom to bring them all and in Porte Abello be kind to them.”  
Tali Shae and Mlady both just looked at her.  
Sif looked up at them. “Never mind, I was just reminded of a book my half-brother got me to read when I was little.”

7.6


	7. Episode 7.7 - They're Playing Our Song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
Kenny Dolphin and T'Lon are still recovering from the fal-tor-pan ritual that helped put T'Lon's katra back into her head.
> 
> _“They’re playing our song,” said T’Lon._  
_Dolphin boggled at her. Of all the things she might have said that made absolutely no sense, this pretty much topped the list. For one thing (of many things), it was almost absolutely silent, despite the sense he had that this part of the bridge often experienced a significant amount of wind._  
.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
T'Lok makes one more appearance here.

7.7  
They’re Playing Our Song 

Lt. Kenny Dolphin found Ensign T’Lon seated on a bench in a gazebo on the middle of a bridge that linked four hilltops, each of which supported tall buildings. This X shaped bridge not only linked the hilltops, but also, from the gazebo in the center of it, afforded stunning views of the side of Mt. Seleya it was situated on, a mountain range to the west and desert plains to the south and east.   
Dolphin sat next to T’Lon and looked out on the scene. Given his level of exhaustion, the austere beauty and simplicity of the landscape appealed to him. He had been sent to join her. A spare meal and a carafe full of the local, extremely pure water were set on the table.  
“They’re playing our song,” said T’Lon.  
Dolphin boggled at her. Of all the things she might have said that made absolutely no sense, this pretty much topped the list. For one thing (of many things), it was almost absolutely silent, despite the sense he had that this part of the bridge often experienced a significant amount of wind.  
At that moment, a single, very low note sounded from an enormous bell. He could feel the note more than hear it. The reverberations rang on and on, taking nearly ten minutes to fade into silence.   
“Was that it?” Dolphin asked.  
T’Lon’s studied look of long suffering, an expression Dolphin had not seen since the first week he had known her, returned. “The song is 27 hours long - one full day.”  
Dolphin watched her, but she gave every appearance of having concluded her explanation.  
Another bell pealed - this one higher and softer than the previous. Dolphin waited until it too had faded to silence before asking, “Our song?”  
T’Lon did not sigh or outwardly display impatience, but Dolphin knew her well enough by now to detect it in her voice and expression. “After a successful fal-tor-pan ritual, a song is composed in celebration. The song begins one day after the end of the ritual, lasts for 27 hours and is never played again.” At that moment, another bell sounded, extremely low and soft, almost below the threshold of Dolphin’s hearing. A rumble.  
Dolphin tried to make himself comfortable, but he had no idea how he would manage to appreciate a 27-hour long song. He felt a slight stab of envy for Dr. Moon Sun Salek, visiting her grandfather for the first time and hoped she was having at least a little more fun.

T’Lon turned toward Dolphin and said, “There is something I think you should witness. I know you are somewhat weary of telepathic contact at the moment…”  
“It’s been a bit crowded up here recently,” Dolphin replied, lightly tapping his head. “But do what you must.”  
The link between them had grown strong enough that T’Lon no longer needed to touch Dolphin’s face to initiate a mind-meld. Touching his hand was sufficient.  
Dolphin immediately became aware of a third presence only because T’Lon was bringing that part forth with some effort. It was a very small part of T’Lok. It wasn’t like hearing her voice - but somehow it was - as though this were the strongest way for Dolphin to distinguish her thoughts from T’Lon’s. Gradually, T’Lon was absorbing this part of T’Lok’s personality that T’Lok had long ago begun embedding in her friend.  
Dolphin could feel that this process was changing T’Lon in a subtle way. He was able to hear T’Lon putting T’Lok’s legacy to words: “Curiosity, Empathy, Joy, Wonder.” It wasn’t the words or even the ability to experience what they represented. It was more than that - as though these had been the fundamental building blocks of T’Lok and were now being grafted into T’Lon in hopes they would bear fruit. He felt as though in some way, this part of T’Lok’s personality was linking up with those qualities in his own character, bolstering them - changing him as well and putting everything he had experienced over the past month - the wonders and the horrors - into a fresh context. They were not putting T’Lok finally to peace – she was bringing peace to them.  
Throughout this silent celebration and acceptance of this final legacy from T’Lok, enormous bells continued to peal, rocking the bridge with powerful, low frequency vibrations and very slowly revealing a coherent melody. Whoever had written this music had not only felt T’Lon’s personality and Dolphin’s, but T’Lok’s as well.

7.7


	8. Episode 7.8 - Mushroom Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
Crewmembers of the U.S.S. Hunter are having strange and disturbing dreams...
> 
> _The justice’s dream faded to darkness. The cat’s odd smile became Mlady’s smile. Which was very disconcerting - few people other than Irons were aware that Mlady’s smile was not a sign of pleasure, but a sign of fear or aggression. A broad smile, such as this one, was a serious danger sign as she was displaying her fangs. She tended not to open her mouth while smiling until the moment of her attack._  
.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
I love transcribing dreams. Many of my better songs and many of my short stories come from my dreams. I have very vivid dreams and often remember them in great detail.

7.8  
Mushroom Dreams

Dr. Sarekson Carrera rolled over, wanting more sleep only to find himself at Pep’s enormous feet. Carrera looked up in wonder at the giant - each horribly mangled leg was several times the size of Carrera’s body. Way up in the sky was Pep’s beatific head - the sun forming a golden halo behind his head - making it too bright to see his face.  
“Pep?” he asked.  
The giant’s eyes remained closed, the golden halo of blood behind his head dimming enough now that Carrera could now see his features - beatific, ecstatic, at peace. Pep’s chest and belly had been ripped open from his neck to his waist, his chest cavity cracked, ribs splayed open. His organs had been sliced and shoved aside, but there was a massive hole where his heart should have been.  
Although the gigantic mouth did not move, Carrera could hear Commander Pepper’s voice, low, rich, soothing. “It’s okay, Doctor C. My heart isn’t misplaced. It’s right where it has always been. Right where it belongs.”  
Pep easily scooped Carrera up in one enormous hand and shoved him into the massive, bloody, oozing cavity where the gigantic heart should have been.  
For the first time in his life, Carrera woke up screaming. Buttons Ngumbo, who had been sleeping next to him, woke up and in an instant caught Carrera in his arms. Carrera struggled briefly, then leaned back and started to seriously shake.

Justice Minerva Irons was dreaming of the Red Queen. She was more or less aware she was in a dream. The Red Queen was a bit of a nightmare figure, but Irons was not afraid of her.   
“Fear…” the Red Queen said.. “Do fear… Do ont fear…” The Mad Hatter was clearly frustrated. “Do ont fear… words.” The Hatter said this last with a sense of finality, as though he had run through his entire vocabulary. “Do ont fear words.” the hookah smoking caterpillar concluded.  
Irons had been dreaming about these characters since her first night on Pillo, but for the first time it occurred to her in her dream logic that they might actually be trying to communicate with her. “Don’t fear words?” she asked the caterpillar. The caterpillar responded with a delighted (or perhaps frustrated) squeal and clapped its hands - all six of them.  
“Taste,” said the Cheshire Cat, somewhat incoherently. The justice’s dream faded to darkness. The cat’s odd smile became Mlady’s smile. Which was very disconcerting - few people other than Irons were aware that Mlady’s smile was not a sign of pleasure, but a sign of fear or aggression. A broad smile, such as this one, was a serious danger sign as she was displaying her fangs. She tended not to open her mouth while smiling until the moment of her attack.  
But Mlady looked different. The differences were subtle, but her mouth was larger and something of the light of intelligence was gone from her eyes. There was no hint of her uniform - or any clothing. Her body had changed as well, her arms longer, making it easier for her to move either bipedally or quadrapedally. Her long bushels of hair were woven about her carefully, keeping her hair out of her way and forming it into a garment. She was hunting.  
She watched in frustration as her prey vanished in something that appeared to be a transporter beam. But Irons was no longer with Mlady - she had followed her 2nd officer’s prey onboard some sort of space vessel. In every direction, the viewscreens displayed only inky darkness, but there was a target. The vessel arrived at a dying brown dwarf star almost immediately and with technology Irons could not even imagine, sliced out a large section of the star’s corona and returned it to 110 Piscium (abbreviated Pi 110 - the star around which Pillo orbited) and fed the now cold corona gasses into a large mechanism in orbit of the star which, in turn, gradually fed the material into the star.  
The scene changed to the initial landing of the first colonists on Pillo near the north pole. This was footage Irons had seen many times. The colonists stepped out, clad in EVA suits, only to see a path light up in the forest of mushroom stalks they had landed close to. The bioluminescent trail eventually led the explorers nearly 1,000 miles south to the location that would become Porte Abello. As they approached, they found increasing signs of a breathable atmosphere under the giant mushrooms and a large, open area under the unbroken canopy that eventually became the central courtyard of Porte Abello.  
Irons awoke from her dream, mystified, trying to digest what her dream had shown her. She had the distinct impression it was a deliberate communication from another intelligence.

7.8


	9. Episode 7.9 - A Bad Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
Gaia Gamor has a navigational problem to solve. Meanwhile, her pilots are getting jumpy and start returning from shore leave....
> 
> _“Hunter, what am I looking at?” Gamor asked._   
_“A cell in a streamer that is attached to the canopy on Pillo,” Hunter replied.  
_“Mushroom? We’re flying through mushroom?”_  
._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
Every Star Wars movie has at least one character giving the line, "I've got a bad feeling about this..."

7.9  
A Bad Feeling

Lt. Gaia Gamor felt like she had been born in the captain’s chair, gotten married to it and was destined to be buried with one. She had been pulling double shifts in command in no small part out of boredom. Dr. Jazz was running an experiment that required several crew members to remain onboard and never go planetside. She was part of this control group and as the ranking operations officer remaining on the ship, the captain’s chair was a natural place for her to be.  
But it wasn’t the double-shifts that were bothering her. It was a navigational issue. Something was causing her to have to adjust the Hunter’s orbit. The planet’s mass was known, as were the mass of both moons, the nearby planets and Pi 110 itself. With both of her navigators planetside, it was pretty much up to Lt. Gamor to figure out what was going on. The math geniuses, Tauk and Carrera, were both busy planetside, but navigators had to be good at math too. This math was simple. The problem was that the math wasn’t telling her anything useful.   
For some reason the Hunter was speeding up on the day side and slowing down on the night side of Pillo. It wasn’t much, but it didn’t take much to require a course correction.

“Hunter,” Gamor called and looked to the space behind the navigation station where the boat’s interactive avatar preferred to appear.   
“Lieutenant Gamor,” responded Hunter, appearing as expected.   
“I’m sure you’ve been monitoring our orbit,” Gamor said. “Can you tell me why we’re having to make so many course corrections? There don’t seem to be any gravitational fluctuations that could be causing it.”  
“We are encountering a field effect, almost like moving through a field of particulate matter,” Hunter replied.  
Lt. Gamor leaned forward in the captain’s chair. She had a hunch. “Can you conduct an analysis of the particulate matter and identify where it’s coming from?”  
“The particulate matter appears to be connected to the flora canopy on the planet below,” Hunter said.  
“Please display on the view screen - show me a high magnification, high resolution view.”  
The viewscreen changed to show what appeared to be a living plant cell.   
“Hunter, what am I looking at?” Gamor asked.  
“A cell in a streamer that is attached to the canopy on Pillo,” Hunter replied.  
“Mushroom? We’re flying through mushroom?”   
The viewscreen pulled back to display several streamers until the tiny tendrils were almost too small to be seen.   
“These tendrils are only a few molecules thick,” Hunter stated. “And yes, these are mushroom tendrils. We are flying through a field of them. They seem to be carried out some distance from the planet by the solar wind, which is why we are not encountering as many of them on the day side.”  
Lt. Gamor relaxed back into the captain’s chair. “How far out do these tendrils go?”  
Hunter took a few moments to study the tendrils, displaying this research on the viewscreen. “The tendrils connect to both of the moons of Pillo and also to a significant amount of the debris collected in the LaGrange points of both moons.”  
Gamor let out a low whistle. “That’s a lot - far more extensive than I imagined. Has any of this material made it past our navigational screens onto the hull?”  
“I do not detect any particles inside our navigational screens,” Hunter replied.  
“Project an orbit that will keep us outside of the reach of these tendrils,” Gamor said.  
Hunter displayed an elliptical orbit outside the orbits of Pillo’s twin moons.  
Gamor walked around the boat’s avatar to the currently unoccupied bridge navigation station, sat and checked the orbit plan. She then turned to Flight Specialist Joey Chin at the pilot station next to her. “Mr. Chin, lay in this orbit pattern and take us out to it when ready.”  
“Establishing new orbit, sir,” Chin responded as Lt. Gamor got up and returned to the captain’s chair.  
Gamor knew it was an illusion, but she could almost feel the boat slipping free of tiny mushroom tendrils as it moved past one of the planet’s moons.  
  
“Bridge, this is Transporter Room 1…” Transporter Engineer K’rok’s voice was unmistakable.  
“Go ahead, K’rok,” Gamor responded.  
“I have Flight Specialists Dih and Salazaar and Chief Guth requesting beam up.”  
“Go ahead and bring them up. Advise Chief Guth to report to the bridge once aboard.” Gamor wasn’t sure why half her team was returning, but she was glad to have them back - even though none of this group could relieve her of command.   
Chief Guth reported to the bridge within moments.   
“What’s up, Guth?” Gamor asked. “I thought you and the other pilots were going to stay planetside for another day.”   
“We just had a feeling, sir,” Guth responded. “Ensign Phillips was on a date and I didn’t think it was right to interrupt him just because a few pilots were feeling jumpy.”  
The communication system brought K’rok’s voice to the bridge again: “Bridge, this is Transporter Room 1…”  
“More beamout requests, K’rok?” Gamor asked.  
“Navigators Strahl and Imex and Engineers Tomos and Yolanda Thomas are requesting transport up here.”  
“Bring them aboard, Mr. K’rok,” Gamor replied. She turned her attention to her Chief Flight Specialist. “So what would you like to do now, Chief?”  
“If it’s the same with you, Dih and I would like to stand watch at the interceptor bays,” Guth responded.  
“That must be some bad feeling you have - and it sounds like you’re not the only one…” Gamor mused.

7.9


	10. Episode 7.10 - Case Closed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
Justice Minerva Irons delivers her ruling in the case of the People of Porte Abello vs. the People of Pillo - and neither side is happy with the result. 
> 
> Meanwhile, a fight breaks out on Pillo - and Pep is in the middle of it...
> 
> _Dr. Carrera had a much worse feeling about it and had gathered as many of the crew as he could find. As he drew near to the crowd, his worst fears were realized - 1.) there were a lot of nausicaans, 2.) they were armed with swords, 3.) Pep was in the middle of it. And in a bad way._  
.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
Paramount owns the Star Trek universe and all the races and political units. I am not certain whether they created the Nausicaan Collective or whether that is my invention.
> 
> The planet, the original characters for the U.S.S. Hunter, including the artificially intelligent ship itself, the unarmored shuttlecraft known as the wagon and the Star Fleet interceptors are all my creations. As is the great mushroom itself. BTW - it's name is Merle...
> 
> I would love to turn this into a series, with a cast led by an older asian woman and with only one major role for a white male actor (Kenny Dolphin). I'm sure an African-American actor of sufficient size and physical dexterity could be found to play the role of Commander David Pepper without having to resort to screen tricks to create a giant. It would take a talented actor to pull off - Pep has a lot of personality. Warm and charming in person, the soul of a poet and absolutely terrifying in combat.

7.10  
Case Closed

With a now familiar and very appropriate sounding squawk, Justice Irons delivered her ruling: “First, with regard to the plaintiff’s complaint, due to the unenforceability of the patent applications at the heart of this case, I am dismissing this case without prejudice. No harm, no foul, no precedent, no damages.”  
The plaintiff and her lawyers did not make any reply, but this was clearly not the ruling they had hoped for. Mayor Sally Chesticut let her hand fall to the plaintiff’s mushroom with a soft, squishy sound.  
Irons turned to direct her remarks to the defendant’s mushroom. “Second, with regard to the actions of the defendant, all patents granted by the planetary administration are hereby voided pending appeal and further, the planetary administration is hereby enjoined against granting patents or even reviewing patent applications pending a broad competency review. Additionally, I am recommending a full audit of all planetary administrative rulings and activities.”  
Irons leveled her gaze at Planetary Administrator John Westinghall. “Administrator - I strongly recommend you get your house in order ahead of this recommended audit. Given the state of your patent review process, I strongly suspect you may have other, more serious procedural issues. Mr. Westinghall, I believe you foresaw a judicial rebuke. Consider this it.”  
“Case dismissed. Court adjourned,” Irons concluded. She banged the mushroom again, creating a rather sour sounding squawk.

At that moment, in another area of Porte Abello, a fight was about to break out. Almost no one knew why and few had any idea who would be fighting, but the premonition of a fight was drawing spectators, including the Hunter’s crew. Ensign Tolon Reeves had a bad feeling about it and put his squad on alert.  
Dr. Carrera had a much worse feeling about it and had gathered as many of the crew as he could find. As he drew near to the crowd, his worst fears were realized - 1.) there were a lot of nausicaans, 2.) they were armed with swords, 3.) Pep was in the middle of it. And in a bad way.  
No less than six nausicaans were holding Pep’s arms behind him. He was leaning forward, trying to drag them off their feet. Another nausicaan stepped in front of the giant and drew a sword, set to plunge it into the giant’s heart.  
Carrera let out a high-pitched scream and charged toward the sword-wielding nausicaan. Nausicaans were large and this one was much larger than normal. Carrera was a small man, so he went for the knees. Investigator Buttons also ran toward the nausicaan at tremendous speed. Although Buttons was not as large as his opponent, he was able to tackle with considerable force due to his speed - Buttons, Carrera and the nausicaan went tumbling - but not before the nausicaan left his sword embedded in Pep’s chest.  
The nausicaan drew a knife, only to find himself wrestled firmly to the ground by Tolon and Belo Garr. Jarrong stepped over him, first relieving him of the knife, then with a roundhouse left punch, relieving him of consciousness.  
Several nausicaans seemed to be fighting each other and the two whom Pep had knocked out in the bar a few nights previously, took on the nausicaans who were holding the giant’s arms, enabling him to pull free of them. Pep removed the sword from his chest and pushed his hand into the wound, which was bleeding profusely.  
Several nausicaans fell - first those close to Pep, then others. Only those close enough could see Mlady’s tiny figure sprinting among the towering nausicaans at tremendous speed, a small phaser in each hand, stunning every nausicaan at point blank range, regardless of which side they appeared to be fighting on. Within less than a minute, no one who had been fighting was left standing except for Pep and Mlady. Pep removed his hand from the sword wound and Mlady put her mouth to the bleeding wound. “Hunter, two for medical beamout!” Pep gasped, holding Mlady’s mouth to his chest. Within a few seconds the transporter whisked them away, leaving several members of Hunter’s crew slack-jawed at what they had just witnessed.  
A little further away on the edge of the crowd, Dr. Tali Shae quietly called for medical beamout.

7.10


	11. Episode 7.11 - Battle for Pillo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
A battle breaks out in orbit for control of the planet Pillo. The U.S.S. Hunter is hopelessly outgunned...
> 
> _ These four torpedoes each took different trajectories, each sweeping around on individual arcs to head toward the nausicaan cruiser from different directions - directly toward the cruiser’s deflector dish. The cruiser was only able to destroy one torpedo with its forward disruptors before the other three torpedoes arrived simultaneously, just as the tactical unit disengaged its main forward phaser..._  
.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
Space battles are very difficult to write. Hopefully this one is described in sufficient detail for you to be able to picture it.

7.11  
Battle for Pillo 

Lt. Gamor was keeping up with all the reports of medical beamouts, but she was not tempted in the least to step away from the captain’s chair. Instead, she strapped herself in and found herself ordering the rest of the bridge crew to do the same. She was not surprised when Guth called her from one of the interceptor bays.   
“Bridge, this is interceptor one requesting permission to launch…”  
“I was just about to ask you to do that. Launch both interceptors,” Gamor replied. “Maintain close formation.”  
Almost at that moment, Navigator Johanna Imex, who had requested permission to staff the bridge tactical station on arriving, reported, “Ships entering the system at high warp. At least two.” She was already raising the Hunter’s shields as Lt. Gamor gave the order.  
“Shields up, weapons hot, bring us about to face them. Interceptors, take wing positions forward and keep their torpedoes off of us. All hands - brace for combat!”

In Porte Abello, Ensign Tolon Reeves gave his squad the order to separate out the unconscious nausicaans and bind them. Nausicaans were tough and resilient and even though the majority of them had been hit by Mlady’s phasers set on heavy stun at close range, several of them were starting to come around. But none of them had sufficient fight to put up a struggle against Tolon’s tactical squad and they were swiftly contained.

As everyone else left the courtroom, Justice Minerva Irons found herself relaxing back into the mushroom from which she had delivered her ruling. She had a feeling that things weren’t going well for anyone else, but there was little she could do about it at the moment. Her mind was beckoned elsewhere. In her vision she was swept off to a small town on a rather drab planet where people wearing drab clothing were going about the business of farming.  
Irons wasn’t sure where this particular agricultural backwater was, but she could easily identify the fly in the bucolic ointment. A large, well-dressed man was entering a small, but unusual building. Neither his clothing nor the building had anything to do with farming. She hadn’t seen his face, but his clothing and gait were very familiar. So was the clothing and manner of the farmers and farms around him.  
Even the rugged, forbidding landscape was oddly familiar to Irons. These farms had been blasted out of this landscape long ago. The few places where land could possibly be cleared for farming clearly limited the population of this settlement. From the condition of the buildings, the village looked old, but well cared for.

Three nausicaan heavy cruisers appeared out of warp in close formation and immediately began firing on the Hunter. The Hunter would have been quickly destroyed had it not been for the interceptors using their phaser cannon to prevent the large number of photon torpedoes from getting through.   
Nausicaan heavy cruisers were very rarely seen - three of them together represented probably half of the capital ships of the Nausicaan Collective - which claimed to speak for roughly half of the nausicaans in the sector and was the only large nausicaan organization - more of a syndicate than a government.   
Any one of these cruisers would have outclassed the Hunter even with the heavily armed tactical unit attached. With half its weaponry away on a mission to Vulcan, the Hunter was hopelessly outgunned. Gamor was both putting up a fight and simultaneously hailing these vessels in an attempt to surrender. No one was answering.

Then the tactical unit appeared out of high warp directly in between two of the heavy cruisers - with less than 30 meters between the tactical unit and the two cruisers on either side. In that moment the tactical unit pivoted 90 degrees, bringing its forward torpedo tube to point directly at one cruiser and the aft tube to point at the other. Torpedoes launched simultaneously at point blank range from each tube, but did not activate – they drifted toward the two cruisers.  
The tactical unit was still moving forward at high speed. It nosed down, barely diving under one of the cruisers as the torpedoes drifted, unpowered, at launch speed into the deflector screens of the two vessels. On contacting the cruisers’ deflector screens, both torpedoes exploded simultaneously, overwhelming the emitters of both vessels and causing secondary explosions on each ship.  
As these secondary explosions on the two now disabled cruisers multiplied out of control, the tactical unit focused its main phaser cannon at the third cruiser’s deflector dish, heating the shield directly in front of the dish. This remaining nausicaan heavy cruiser focused its fire on the tactical unit, only to find that its small target was moving too erratically to be predicted. In spite of these crazy, weaving and spinning maneuvers, the pilot of the tactical unit managed to keep the small vessel’s prow pointed precisely at the cruiser’s main deflector dish. Four torpedoes launched from the tactical unit’s aft tube, away from the cruiser.  
These four torpedoes each took different trajectories, each sweeping around on individual arcs to head toward the nausicaan cruiser from different directions - directly toward the cruiser’s deflector dish. The cruiser was only able to destroy one torpedo with its forward disruptors before the other three torpedoes arrived simultaneously, just as the tactical unit disengaged its main forward phaser.   
The torpedoes punched through a hole the phaser had opened in the nausicaan cruiser’s deflector screens. The first torpedo overwhelmed the deflector, taking down the protective screen. The second destroyed the deflector dish, causing secondary explosions. The third buried itself deep in the cruiser’s hull before exploding, ripping the ship to pieces with multiple, simultaneous secondary explosions.

Lt. Gamor was still hailing the other two cruisers as they drifted apart, offering to take on survivors. It quickly became evident there would be no survivors as explosions continued inside both ships, gutting their hulls and leaving them floating, burnt out, empty hulks. Only shards remained of the third cruiser.

“Hunter platform, this is the tactical unit, Kenneth Dolphin commanding,” came the transmission.  
“Tactical unit, this is the Hunter, Gaia Gamor commanding,” Lt. Gamor responded. “Boy am I glad to see you, boss…”  
Dolphin’s voice came back over the system. “Request permission to dock, Lieutenant.”  
“Permission granted, sir,” Gamor replied. “I take it your mission was a success?”  
“That would be an affirmative. We are carrying three crew members and three katras. Each katra is now located squarely where it should be.”  
“Tactical unit, this is interceptor one,” came Guth’s voice. “Sir, I have never seen flying like that. Or shooting.”  
“Ensign T’Lon did the shooting, Mr. Guth,” Dolphin responded. “As for the flying - let’s hope I never have to do anything like that again - at least for a while. I’ll see all of you on board. When I get there can someone please explain to me why I just had to blow up half of the Nausicaan Collective’s main fleet?”

7.11


	12. Episode 7.12 - A Shared Vision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
Lt. Tauk and Investigator Shran are interviewing a young nausicaan named Yuum and learn more about the nausicaan uprising. The Hunter's crew have a simultaneous vision...
> 
> _Tauk waved impatiently, gesturing for Shran to continue._  
_Shran turned his attention back to the young nausicaan. “Yes. We don’t know the details yet, but we’ve been told our boat was attacked by three nausicaan heavy cruisers and won. I have no idea how.”_  
_Yuum lit up at this news. “I want to join Star Fleet! I want to see the Collective taken out! I want to be there!”_  
_Tauk managed, “You would be the first nausicaan in Star…”_  
.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
If you have been following along, you might have noticed in Episode 1 I described Tauk as very pale. He starts coughing in Episode 4 and it gradually gets worse until Episode 7. So this has been coming on for awhile...

7.12  
A Shared Vision

Neither the city of Porte Abello nor the planetary administration of Pillo were anywhere near equipped to handle the aftermath of a nausicaan civil war, which was what had more or less happened. In all, Mlady had stunned more than 200 nausicaans in the fight that had wounded Pep. Tolon’s tactical squad had quickly run out of restraints and had to improvise using local rope - which was not really strong enough to hold the nausicaans and several had escaped.  
And while this was the largest uprising, it was not the only one. Few of the nausicaans were talking, but by interviewing other residents of Porte Abello who knew the nausicaans, Lt. Tauk, Investigator Lynhart Shran and Investigator Buttons Ngumbo were able to derive that the fights had pitted local nausicaans against interlopers. The few local nausicaans who were talking identified at least a few of the interlopers as members of the Collective (or “Collectors” as most nausicaans referred to them.)  
Tauk and Investigator Shran were questioning one uncharacteristically talkative nausicaan - a young female named Yuum - on the promise of her anonymity. Her father and sister had been killed by a collector in one of the brawls.

“We were told right from the start never to talk about the visions,” Yuum said. Her anger was evident and Shran and Tauk maintained a respectful distance. “We have had them just like everyone else, but the Collective didn’t want anyone to know about it. They wanted to know if the visions showed anything beyond the immediate area of this star system. They wanted to use the visions to prey on the trade routes near this system.”  
Tauk coughed heavily, then said, “So did the visions expand beyond this system?” He coughed again.  
Yuum nodded. “Right from the beginning we were seeing visions about people we knew on our homeworlds - family members. But that wasn’t what the collectors were looking for. They were looking for evidence the visions could be used to control the trade routes.”  
Tauk continued coughing. Investigator Lynhart Shran took over questioning at a gesture from the young ferengi.  
“So I take it they found what they were looking for?” Shran asked.  
“Several, all at once. It led to a successful attack on a tellerite freighter last week,” Yuum replied. “The Collective was willing to risk half their fleet to take over this colony. If they had managed it, they could have taken tens of thousands of hostages and it would have been nearly impossible to get them off this planet. Is it true that a small Star Fleet patrol craft destroyed three of the Collective’s heavy cruisers?”  
“That’s the report,” Tauk attempted, but could not continue as he was coughing harder.  
“Are you all right, boss?” Shran asked.  
Tauk waved impatiently, gesturing for Shran to continue.  
Shran turned his attention back to the young nausicaan. “Yes. We don’t know the details yet, but we’ve been told our boat was attacked by three nausicaan heavy cruisers and won. I have no idea how.”  
Yuum lit up at this news. “I want to join Star Fleet! I want to see the Collective taken out! I want to be there!”  
Tauk managed, “You would be the first nausicaan in Star…” His coughing came back, far worse than before, blood dripping from his mouth and nose.

Kenny Dolphin had just secured the tactical unit after docking.  
Gaia Gamor was still in the captain’s chair.  
Commander David Pepper was laying in sick bay recovering from heart surgery, Mlady and Dr. Tali Shae next to him.  
Dr. Carrera had returned to the Hunter and was on his way to inspect the tactical unit.  
Investigator Buttons Ngumbo was with Ensign Tolon Reeves and the tactical squad, arranging for long term containment of the members of the Nausicaan Collective who had started fights throughout Porte Abello.  
Justice Minerva Irons was just leaving the courtroom.   
Dr. Jazz was cleaning up after successfully managing delicate heart surgery in the middle of a fire fight.

The vision of Tauk coughing up blood in desperation hit all of the Hunter’s crew simultaneously.

“Medical Beamout!” Shran’s voice was so gravelly it sounded as if his throat was about to shred itself.  
Transporter Engineer K’rok was already in process of beaming Lt. Tauk and Investigator Shran directly to Medical.

7.12


	13. Episode 7.13 - Taking His Breath Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
Dr. Jazz and Dr. Tali Shae have diagnosed the issue with Lt. Tauk's lung. It should be easily repaired...
> 
> _“There isn’t much that can be done. It’s lungworm,” Tauk said._  
_Tali Shae rolled her eyes. “How about if you let me be the doctor in this room? It isn’t lungworm..._  
.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
This is the payoff of something I started building right from the start of this story. It becomes evident in Episode 4, but there are some slight clues in Episode 1...

7.13  
Taking His Breath Away 

Dr. Jazz Sam Sinder and Dr. Tali Shae had moved Tauk to the forward surgery as Pep was recovering in the main surgery. They had conferred about the young lieutenant’s diagnosis. Communicating the results was Dr. Shae’s responsibility.  
“We thought at first you might be having an allergic reaction to the spores,” Tali Shae said.   
Tauk shook his head. “I was coughing before we got to Pillo. This has been coming on for a while.”  
“Then you suspected. Why didn’t you come to me?” Shae asked.  
“There isn’t much that can be done. It’s lungworm,” Tauk said.  
Tali Shae rolled her eyes. “How about if you let me be the doctor in this room? It isn’t lungworm. What you have is a genetic condition. Your lung tissues are breaking down. Dr. Jazz administered a medicine that will suppress your symptoms temporarily. We will need to do surgery tomorrow. Dr. Jazz will remove the destroyed material from inside your lung, reconstruct the damaged areas and we can correct the missing sequence in your DNA at the same time.”  
Tauk shook his head. “You can do the surgery, but I cannot allow you to alter my genetic structure. That would violate one of our highest laws.”  
“I thought you were no longer a citizen of the Ferengi Alliance - weren’t you exiled?”  
“Due to my doctoral dissertation. That does not change the fact that I am ferengi. I may have mathematically proved that, according to game theory, the Rules of Acquisition are counter-productive to wealth generation and general prosperity, but I cannot condone genetic therapy. Unlike humans, we learned the lesson from our eugenics wars.”  
“I’m not talking about making you into some sort of superman, Lieutenant,” Dr. Tali Shae countered. “Just correcting the defect that is causing your lung to consume itself.”  
“There can be no exceptions, Doctor,” said Tauk. “Doctor Dolphin was right to ask the question whether the benefits of genetic therapy are worth the risk that people will cheat. Ferengi are very familiar with that concept. Cheating is inevitable and inevitably leads to self-destruction. The ferengi learned that lesson the hard way. We tried half-measures. Which led to a second eugenics war. That’s why we refer to them as the eugenics wars.”  
Dr. Tali Shae took a deep breath. “I understand. I need you to understand that the window for genetic modification is not very wide. If you change your mind - and I’m not suggesting that you are likely to - we may have a few months. Without the treatment, the outlook is not good. With a combination of surgeries and medicines, we can slow the progress of the disease. But it will be fatal within no more than a year - two years at the outside. And as it progresses, it will become debilitating and extremely painful. The pain can be managed, but at increasing cost to your mental awareness.”  
Tauk grimaced. “How long will I be able to continue in my duties?”  
“Are you certain you want to remain at your post, now that you have a time limit?”  
“Doctor, this,” Tauk looked around, gestured vaguely to the room around him, “this is my home. There is no other place for me.”  
Tali Shae walked over to one of the forensic workstations and sat down. “I really don’t know, Tauk. There are too many variables. I suppose a year, maybe more, maybe less. Honestly, I’m just wildly guessing. Dr. Jazz is designing the surgery. We should be ready tomorrow. Do you feel up to a senior staff meeting? Justice Irons has scheduled it for the main surgery, considering we have two senior staff recuperating down here.”  
“I think I can manage it, thank you, doctor.”

7.13


	14. Episode 7.14 - Time On Target

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
The senior staff meet and come to realizations about what the nausicaans were up to, the wild tactics that allowed Kenny Dolphin and T'Lon to defeat three Nausicaan Collective cruisers in less than three minutes and the bizarre physics that make it possible for the Great Mushroom to provide premonitions...
> 
> _ This statement earned Carrera blank looks from everyone except Tauk. The little ferengi took a drink and cleared his throat. “So something in the future is causing what we are experiencing?”_  
_“It sounds counterintuitive, but only because we have evolved to experience causality past to future. But an intelligence could conceivably experience causality from what we would consider future to past. Causality - assuming it happens at all - and our universe makes no sense to us if it does not - must run both directions. We have demonstrated this effect over and over at the subatomic level, but it must apply as a general rule..."_  
.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
This is a science heavy episode with some fun spin on the General Theory of Relativity.
> 
> I have continued double posting because it seems some people are coming to the story through the separate episodes and others are coming to it through the big compilation post. I can easily understand people not wanting to take on a massive post that has 111 chapters...

7.14  
Time on Target

About a half hour later, the senior staff gathered in the main surgery.

“I really hope we aren’t setting a precedent,” Justice Irons said, looking around the surgery. Tauk was propped up on one surgery table and Commander David Pepper on another. A few extra chairs had been brought into the room to accommodate remainder of the senior staff.  
“Lieutenant Tauk, let’s start with you. Tell us what your team has found out about the nausicaans.”  
Tauk cleared his throat, immediately drawing concerned looks from everyone in the room. He paused long enough to indulge in a slight sigh. “It’s clear enough that the Nausicaan Collective was making a bold move to take over this colony. Pi 110 is located near two main arteries for trade routes within the Federation. It would be a very defensible position for the Collective - they could have held tens of thousands of hostages under the mushrooms and they would have established a foothold deep inside Federation territory. They also believed they would have benefitted from premonitions everyone seems to experience on Pillo.”  
Pep’s voice was uncharacteristically soft and not as low as usual. “What I want to know…” He paused to take a deep breath. “What made the Collective so bold to think such a move would be tolerated in such close proximity to Earth?”  
“Historically, this area was squarely within the Collective’s patrol territory,” Irons replied. “Star Fleet has only been able to strengthen our presence in this sector since the threats from the Borg and the Dominion have receded. I think the Collective was feeling strong enough to make a play to regain some of their historic territory. Thanks to Lieutenant Dolphin, that bid ended catastrophically for them. Kenneth, I would like to hear some more about these unconventional tactics you used to take down three capital ships with what is essentially a heavily armed shuttle.”  
Lt. Dolphin grimaced and raised his eyebrows. “Those tactics were the product of desperation and adrenaline. And only half mine. I left the shooting up to Ensign T’Lon. Her tactics were extremely creative. It was her idea to launch torpedoes without engaging their engines so that I had time to get us out of the way before they blew up. She also came up with the Time On Target use of torpedoes on the third ship.”  
Tauk cleared his throat. “Time On Target? I’ve heard the term before, but I don’t know what it means.”  
“I’m not surprised,” Dolphin responded. “It doesn’t often have a use in modern combat. It dates back to the use of cannon on the battlefield. Gunners would aim their cannon very high with a sufficient charge to drop cannon balls on their enemies from above, then quickly reloaded and fired directly at the enemy. Time On Target meant the cannon balls falling from above would arrive at the same time as those coming straight across the battlefield. A devastating attack. T’Lon’s use of it - having photon torpedoes arriving from several different trajectories - made it impossible for the cruiser to prevent all of them from hitting their target.”  
Dr. Carrera spoke up. “What I want to know is how you brought the tactical unit out of warp within a thousand meters of another ship, much less in between two other ships with less than 30 meters clearance on either side. We designed the unit with as many potentials as possible, but I don’t think that was one of them.”  
Dolphin blushed a little and mumbled something Carrera couldn’t distinguish.  
Dr. Carrera turned to Tauk: “What did he say?”  
Tauk’s ears were the only ones in the room sensitive enough to comprehend Dolphin’s Yankee mumble.

“He said he flew it stick.”

Tali Shae turned toward Dolphin. “You did what?”  
Dr. Carrera was wide-eyed with disbelief, but his voice remained calm. “You flew stick at warp speed. You came out of warp at hundreds of times the speed of light, placed that boat precisely between two heavy cruisers that were less than 100 meters apart - and you did it manually? Is that even allowed?”  
“Combat flight rules provide fairly broad discretion for manual operation… As I said, desperation and adrenaline,” Dolphin reiterated.

Carrera looked at Dr. Tali Shae. “Whatever you’re prescribing for him, I want some too.”

Justice Irons was shaking her head. “I have never heard of such a thing. I am quite tempted to classify that maneuver just so that a generation of cadets don’t get themselves killed trying to recreate it.” She turned toward her first officer. “David, how is your heart?”  
“Dr. C. saved my life,” Pep replied. “If he and Ngumbo hadn’t tackled that nausicaan, that sword would have gone right through my heart. As it was, it was just a nasty nick. I have more surgery scheduled for the next few days. After that I should be fine. We need to talk about how many people saw Mlady biting my wound.”  
Carrera turned toward Pep with some surprise. “Is that what she was doing? I couldn’t tell. All I could see was that she put her mouth to the wound.”  
Mlady, seated next to the surgical bed Pep was recuperating in, was trying not to smile, but was unable to keep from baring her fangs.  
Dr. Tali Shae started, “Mlady produces an enzyme…”  
Lt. Dolphin interrupted her. “We cannot tell the crew that. It would create unrealistic expectations - she can only do that with people whom she has genetically modified…”  
“I am right here,” Mlady said, her fangs now bared.  
“Don’t tell anybody anything,” Irons said. “It’s none of their business. If you hear any crew members asking questions or speculating about this incident, tell them it is a private matter and if they want to know more, they should ask their Executive Officer or their Operations Officer. And you can let them know that David will refer them to Mlady, so they might as well start with her.”  
Mlady relaxed, but looked pointedly at each of the directors, effectively sealing her privacy.  
“That should settle them down,” Dr. Carrera said. “Everyone on this boat should be used to unusual personal relationships by now. They may be surprised, and there will be some gossip. But we have a fairly respectful crew. There isn’t a person here who hasn’t had to deal with people being too nosy about their private lives.”  
Dolphin spoke directly to Mlady, “I apologize for being insensitive a moment ago.”  
Mlady gave Dolphin a long evaluating gaze. It was several heartbeats before she took a breath and quietly said, “Apology accepted.”

“Now that that’s settled, it’s time to address the elephant in the room,” Justice Irons said. Just as Pep cleared his throat, Irons added, “Or I should say, the mushroom. We all had the visions. Even Lieutenant Dolphin - and before he broke the seal from the tactical unit, meaning he had not breathed Hunter’s air. So we can probably rule out spores. So the question is, what is causing these premonitions?”  
Dr. Carrera said, “We don’t have enough information - or maybe we do, but it’s spread around. We all need to know what everyone saw and when they saw it.”  
“I think I might have been the first,” said Dolphin. “about a week ago at our last senior staff meeting, I was talking about a dream. It didn’t mean anything to me at the time, but that vision we all had of Tauk coughing blood, I had that exact vision in my dream. That was before I even knew the Hunter was going to Pillo and even then I didn’t know that I would link back up with you before you broke orbit.”  
“I saw Pep with a hole in his chest - his heart had been removed,” Dr. Carrera added. It was a bizarre dream - a nightmare really.”  
“Sounds to me like a premonition about me getting stabbed,” Pep responded.  
“Is your heart missing?” Irons asked.  
Pep patted his hands about on his chest as if to make sure. “Doesn’t seem to be…”  
“But in the dream, even though there was a hole, he said his heart wasn’t missing,” Carrera responded.  
“Did any of you feel that you were contacted by an intelligence?” Irons asked.

Her question elicited only confused looks.

Irons described her dreams involving the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and the dying brown dwarf star, although she omitted the part about Mlady.  
The room was silent for a moment, but only Dr. Carrera seemed to be taking it in.  
“It does sound like an intelligent contact. But there’s a lot to unpack here. You said they were feeding stellar material to Pi 110?” Carrera asked.  
Irons nodded. “I couldn’t even begin to describe the technology.”  
“That would have to be billions of years in the future. That star should have an exceptionally long life-span.”  
“I got the feeling that it was a far distant future,” Irons replied.  
“Here’s my guess - and please observe the caveat that it is a wild guess…” Carrera leaned forward in his chair, clearly excited. “I suspect we are in contact with a vast intelligence that has not yet become sentient - but will in the far distant future. This could be an example of asymmetric causality.”  
This statement earned Carrera blank looks from everyone except Tauk. The little ferengi took a drink and cleared his throat. “So something in the future is causing what we are experiencing?”  
“It sounds counterintuitive, but only because we have evolved to experience causality past to future. But an intelligence could conceivably experience causality from what we would consider future to past. Causality - assuming it happens at all - and our universe makes no sense to us if it does not - must run both directions. We have demonstrated this effect over and over at the subatomic level, but it must apply as a general rule. In fact, it is what makes recursive warp drive – our zip drive – possible. So let’s assume for a moment that is what is at work here.”  
Carrera paused a moment to let everyone else catch up. “Our sentience is, in our experience, accidental. We have deliberately furthered it, but its origins were what we would call accidental. But our friend - let’s assume for the moment it’s the mushroom - could not have achieved sentience without a series of deliberate actions, among the first of which would be to create the potential for a symbiotic relationship with sentient bipeds - the colonists of Pillo.”  
Dr. Tali Shae looked as if she had received a sudden shock. “Are you suggesting that the reason the colonists found an environment ready-made for them, complete with oxygen, potable water and carnivorous mushroom showers, is because this mushroom instructed itself in the distant future to create this environment in the past?”  
“It sounds exotic when you put it that way. But think about it this way,” Carrera mused. “Creating these environmental potentials are among the last sentient acts of a being that would be in a condition we would compare to senility. Gone are the halcyon days of its youth at the other end of space-time from our perspective. And now, in these, as we would consider them, early days of our universe, but to our Agaricaloid friend, its last moments as a sentient being, it hangs onto the one task it must accomplish to make what we would refer to as its final form possible.”

Pep turned to Dr. Tali Shae. “Doc, whatever you’re prescribing for him, I want some too…”

Irons smiled. “I can see you have the bit between your teeth. If you’re not careful, this idea of yours might end up garnering another honorary doctorate for you.” Irons took a deep breath. “Whatever this intelligence is, it seems clear others could use it to make mischief. I am going to recommend that Star Fleet establish a permanent presence and garrison this system with sufficient resources to prevent the Nausicaan Collective or any other bad actors from taking over this system.”  
She looked around at her directors. “I want each of you to think through your experiences and provide a detailed report not only of your own visions and experiences, but also for your staff - in as much detail as possible. Let’s leave Pep and Tauk to rest. Both have surgeries ahead of them. And please try not to gather any more injuries for now. We will remain in orbit of Pillo until Star Fleet can dispatch an appropriate relief vessel for us. We are adjourned.”

7.14


	15. Episode 7.15 - In Remembrance of Dr. Ruanthe Perera

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
Shran and Cantys make a fateful decision...
> 
> Tauk learns more about Lt. Cmdr. Mlady than anyone could feel comfortable with...
> 
> _"...Her system learns from her prey - how to more effectively modify them. And how to genetically modify herself to take best advantage of new prey. That’s how she became sentient..."_  
.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
Mlady is one very difficult character to write. She is very bad and very good and lots of things in between. One of my readers said she's "creepy" - which is exactly what I'm shooting for...

7.15  
In Remembrance of Dr. Ruanthe Perera

Investigator Shran was holding Belo Cantys. They had returned to their temporary quarters on Pillo for more shore leave, taking advantage of the Hunter’s extended stay. With a luxurious, glowing bed, a hot bath right in the room with them and the beautiful bioluminescence creating ever changing shades of color, it was the most romantic place they had been together - one of the most romantic places he had ever been with anyone.   
In a very long lifetime replete with more relationships than he could remember, no one had ever made the old sniper become detective happier than this tough, scrappy kid he had helped Jarrong rescue from enslavement on an obscure, uncontrolled Cardassian colony, along with her half-brother and half-sister. He wasn’t sure how she had changed his mind about the most important decision in his life when no other woman had come close.

“You had a question for me that you have been wanting to ask. And you haven’t asked because you already knew the answer. But being here, being on this planet, I’ve had a peek into the future. Or at least the possible future,” Shran said.  
Cantys just lay against him, listening. Delighted. She knew his answer already - she had seen it too.  
“Okay kid, we can tell the Doc tomorrow. First thing. Part bajoran, part andorian, part human, part cardassian - it’s gonna be one screwed-up, funny-looking kid…”  
Cantys didn’t say anything - she responded to her elderly hero with a passionate kiss. And more.

Lt. Tauk caught up with Kenny Dolphin in the director’s lounge. “How did you know all that stuff about Mlady? I’m not even certain what she is.”  
Dolphin responded by removing a reader from the interactive panel. He entered a command into it, then brought it to Tauk. “Now that you’ve been promoted, you, like me and Dr. Carrera, are one of her direct reports. This,” he tapped the reader, “this is one of the most sensitive documents in the Federation. Since Mlady is now your commanding officer, you now have access to it – Dr. Mlady’s dissertation on bioethics. You will have to enter your security access code to read it. Fair warning – it’s a bit of an unsettling read..”  
Tauk took the reader and waited a few moments, considering, before entering his access code. The title of Mlady’s dissertation came up on the screen:

Ethical Sentient Predation

A Predator’s Guide to the Ethical Hunting, Husbandry and Harvesting of Sentient Prey Animals

In Remembrance of Dr. Ruanthe Perera

Tauk looked up. “Dr. Perera?”  
“Mlady’s first taste of sentience,” Dolphin said, suppressing a shiver. “Dr. Perera headed the team that discovered Mlady just under 200 years ago. She was the first one bitten and the last survivor - Mlady fed on her for nearly three years.”  
“How is that possible - feeding on her for years?”  
Dolphin obtained a glass of iced tea from the replicator, sat on the couch. “Mlady changes her victims chemically, genetically, directly affects their nervous systems. Her venom makes them docile and the changes speed their healing. Her system learns from her prey - how to more effectively modify them. And how to genetically modify herself to take best advantage of new prey. That’s how she became sentient. When they found her she was something like a badger.” Dolphin held his hands apart to give the ferengi an idea of the size of a badger. He pointed at the reader in Tauk’s hand. “Mlady included Dr. Perera’s notes in her dissertation. Perera actually named her - My Lady - was in love with her even as she was aware Mlady was eating her alive - willingly allowed herself to be eaten. Mlady more or less unconsiously modeled her current form after Dr. Perera’s residual self-image… Has a number of her memories… As I said, it’s a rather unsettling read..”

7.15


	16. Episode 7.16 - Subspace Radio Ivonovic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .  
The initial broadcast of Subspace Radio Ivonovic. 
> 
> _“But as you know, as Dr. Kenny Dolphin exposed to all of us in his ground-breaking dissertation, there is another exception to the prohibition against genetic modification: the children of multiple species who cannot survive, and in most cases could not even be conceived, without extensive genetic manipulation.,,"_  
.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
Boy does this guy have a BIG story arc ahead of him...
> 
> Since this scene is a speech, it's fun to read it aloud. 
> 
> I have a few big long speeches coming up. Parts of Episode 10 are entirely dialogue. And the new Emperor of Andoria gives a bloodthirsty barn-burner of a speech in Episode 12...

7.16  
Subspace Radio Ivonovic

“Some of you know me. Most of you probably do not. My name is Emory Ivonovic and I am coming to you from an undisclosed location. I am the duly elected planetary governor of the Colony of New Hope. They said I couldn’t win and they were wrong. So they accused me of cheating. Why would they go to so much trouble? Why is it so important to them that they would defy the Federation’s most sacred values - the rule of law - the consent of the governed - to try to run me out of office and silence my voice? To silence the voice of the people of New Hope Colony?  
“Because that is the business they are in. They claim to represent the Federation’s most cherished values. And then they arrest a duly elected planetary governor because they don’t want you to hear what I have to say. They claim to represent the rule of law. And then their tricky lawyers come up with unsupported interpretations of obscure rules to get around the law and just do whatever they want to do.  
“So who are they and what is it that they want to do?  
“Folks, I tell you, there is a vast conspiracy within the Federation. A conspiracy at the highest levels to create and maintain a new elite who will control our lives in the name of public service. A conspiracy to create a new race of super-beings - people whom you, your children and your grandchildren cannot hope to compete with. A race that will make us, the naturalborn, second class citizens in this Federation that our ancestors worked so hard to build. That our generation has shed blood to protect.  
“We were all taught about the eugenics war of the late 21st Century, when Khan Noonien Singh and a generation of genetically modified supermen tried to enslave the rest of the human race. And this led to some of our most difficult but critically important laws - some of our most cherished laws - laws that prohibit new attempts to create a ruling class of supermen. We still allow genetic modification to heal children from terrible genetic disorders and occasionally people cheat, but overall those laws have served us very well for generations.  
“But as you know, as Dr. Kenny Dolphin exposed to all of us in his ground-breaking dissertation, there is another exception to the prohibition against genetic modification: the children of multiple species who cannot survive, and in most cases could not even be conceived, without extensive genetic manipulation. And we are supposed to accept these children in the name of families, in the name of love. They show us beautiful babies with human faces, but vulcan ears or andorian antennae or cardassian neck ridges. And they show us happy parents - one human, one of another species.  
“And underneath all this pretty propaganda lurks the real truth. These beautiful babies - these products of love between human and non-human, between vulcan and non-vulcan, between bajoran and non-bajoran - these are the new generation of supermen. These are the new faces of Khan, the Conqueror and his ilk.  
“The rules of genetic modification that make these children possible state this intent explicitly: ‘To the greatest extent possible, the genetic uniqueness and characteristics of each species must be preserved in the children of multiple species.’ Let me emphasize - ‘To the greatest extent possible…’  
“As Dr. Dolphin revealed to us, that is not an invitation for well-intentioned doctors to create supermen. It is a commandment for them to do so. It is a directive - ‘to the greatest extent possible.’ And how could it possibly be otherwise?  
“I have seen the monsters this rule creates. A giant with the size and strength of an orion male, the balance and speed of an andorian, the intelligence and adaptability of a human, but far stronger and more resilient than any of these. A runner with the height and strength of a human and the endurance of a bajoran, but far faster than any bajoran or human. A sniper with the adaptability and eyesight of a human and the balance and dexterity of an andorian, but far quicker and more steady than either - he never misses his target. Something that looks human, but I don’t even know what they bred with a human to produce her - maybe a mountain lion - whose fangs and claws can reduce a roomful of big, strong men to a pile of meat within minutes.  
“These abominations may sound like superheroes, but what they really are is a generation of elite supermen being bred right now, legally, right here within the Federation. And they call me a radical. And they try to overturn a legal election in which the people of New Hope Colony chose me to be their voice. Chose me to be the one to say, ‘no more!’ And believe me, if you stand up against this powerful elite they will come after you, too.  
“Nevertheless, I say, No more! No more supermen! No more elite ruling class! These worlds do not belong to them. They belong to us - the naturalborn. We, the people who came together with hard work to build this Federation – these are our worlds, not theirs. No more monsters! No more overlords deliberately designed from the chromosome up to be our superiors.  
“This is Emory Ivonovic, bringing you Subspace Radio Ivonovic – the voices of the naturalborn. And this is not my last word. They will not silence the truth. They will not silence the voice of the people. They will not enslave the naturalborn. We will not allow them to.  
“I am Governor Emory Ivonovic and you will see my face again. You will hear my voice again.”

7 - The Great Mushroom


End file.
